


Blood Moon

by unyieldingUtopia



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:00:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23603443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unyieldingUtopia/pseuds/unyieldingUtopia
Summary: For ladystuck 2020!The prompt was for Nepeta to survive the conflict with Gamzee as a werewolf.
Relationships: Rose Lalonde/Nepeta Leijon
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14
Collections: Ladystuck Art/Fic Exchange 2020





	1. Lies in Our Veins

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Iceyprincess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iceyprincess/gifts).



Nepeta: :33 < i’m sorry it didn’t work out betw33n you and aradia. *ac updates her shipping wall*  
Equius: D --> As am I. It is truly disheartening after the gift I prepared for her  
Equius: D --> The rejection of such a noble heart pumping with refined b100d Unthinkable Such boldness is…  
Equius: D --> I require another towel  
Nepeta: :33 < maybe she liked her old blood? and i’m pretty sure people don’t like being manipulated.  
Equius: D --> Udderly unthinkable that one would reject the nobility of a higher b100d caste And after spending so long not feeling anything I chose to give her those feelings back It was tr00ly the considerate thing to do  
Nepeta: :33 < hmm i don’t know. i really don’t get the whole blood thing still. it all s33ms pawfully silly to me. maybe you should take it less seriously?  
Equius: D --> Ine%cusable It seems you have squandered all my lessons Does no one appreciate my gifts  
Nepeta: :33 < hey i’m just trying to be a good moirail here. it s33ms to me aradia wasn’t interested in that stuff, and quite furankly neither am i.  
Nepeta: :33 < equius face contorted as if he had just taken in the scent of manure.  
Equius: D --> I tried to impart unto both of you proper etiquette, but I suppose companionship between blue b100ds and the lower classes are simply not feasible  
Nepeta: :33 < oh quit being so dramatic. it’s not unclawful to ignore all this blood stuff. just relax, maybe hunt a bit. you want to have a f33lings discussion on the horn pile?  
Equius: D --> One can only take so much talk of feelings, Nepeta I think I will defer such sessions until you remember the importance of the hemocaste once more It would be…inappropriate otherwise, as a moirail  
Nepeta: :33 < you can be so furustrating sometimes, equius! you threw the same big fit when i told you i was talking to the humans.  
Equius: D --> You went against my orders That is unacceptable As a bl00 b100d, you have to do what I say  
Equius: D --> Nepeta grabbed a handful of her hair somewhat tightly  
Nepeta: :33 < that’s dumb and i don’t want to! rose was fun to talk to! she was nice and didn’t bring up any of this dumb blood stuff.  
Equius: D --> You have become far too comfortable with the aliens Think of the potential scandals It would be most unfitting Totally deplorable F%%% where did I put that towel  
Nepeta: :33 < if i didn’t know better, i’d say you were enjoying this somehow!  
Equius: D --> That claim is spurious entirely I demand you stop at once  
Nepeta: :33 < it’s always demands from you. when was the last time you actually cared about what other people wanted.  
Equius: D --> Didn’t you hear all the trouble I went through to build Aradia her new body  
Nepeta: :33 < that’s what you wanted! not her!  
Nepeta: :33 < ugh i cannot stand stalking to you right now.  
Equius: D --> As a moirail and superior, that is not up to you  
Nepeta: :33 < well, then, i guess i won’t be your moirail!  
Equius: D --> Very well I will return to searching for the highb100d. Perhaps he will understand   
Equius turned away and walked through the door to the north of the room Nepeta turned in the opposite direction and unlatched a nearby grate

Her twisted form lay limp. Indigo blood stained her claws and her hand lay on top of Equius’. She tried to lift her other arm, but it barely moved at all. The numbness was taking over. With a surge of effort, Nepeta tilted her head to face Equius. Her lips trembled imitating speech, but her crushed windpipe wouldn’t allow any sound resembling words to escape, just futile wheezing. But if she could speak, she would say to Equius.  
Nepeta: :33 < you big dummy  
Nepeta: :33 < you cared about all that blood stuff so much it got you killed  
Nepeta :33 < and fur what? some kind of purride?  
Nepeta: :33 < aftur all this…i don’t hate you, equius.  
Nepeta: :33 < i’m glad i left you, and i’m glad i spoke to rose against your orders.  
Nepeta: :33 < but i don’t hate you. i didn’t want to s33 you die. i wanted you to grow past your dumb mentality.  
Nepeta: :33 < nepeta hissed with the remaining breathe she could muster.  
Nepeta: :33 < it’s just so furustrating. we would both be much happier without all that blood stuff. happier and alive…  
Nepeta: :33 < i don’t furgive you, equius. i don’t hate you, but i don’t furgive you yet.  


A tear rolled down her eye.  
Her pulse rate spiked. Her chest seized up. Her arm gripped it reflexively despite her broken state. The oxygen supply to her brain would soon decrease at this point. In her fading consciousness, a war between contradicting ideas took place. A thousand instances of Equius’ obstinate adherence to the hemocaste grappled the remaining fondness she had for him. She considered that breaking up with him had somehow led to their demises. Nepeta’s limbs twitch and spasmed as she began to die. No, Equius chose his fate, he chose the hemocaste over Nepeta, over his own life. She gasped for breath desperately. Her eyes shot wide open, unblinking.

Nepeta: Stupid! So stupid!  
Her head twitched back and forth, gripped with hypoxia.  
Nepeta: :33 < this didn’t have to happen!  
Her fingers and toes curled inwards.  
Nepeta: :33 < if only this blood bullshit could be furgotten  
Her chest seized a second time, spasming upwards into the air.  
Nepeta: :33 < if only i could show you how silly it was.  
An electric tingle dance across every single nerve fiber in her body all at once. her vision snapped into darkness like unplugging a television. her thoughts sounded like distant echoes in the darkness.  
Nepeta: :33 < if i could just decapitate that nasty clown, you’d s33 it’s all garbage.

The sound of snapping filled the hallway. Bones splintering and fragmenting into a thousand shards and melting back together again just as rapidly. The sloshing of muscle spinning into fibers and wrapping around around around her broken body. The moment the tissue in her throat allowed it, Nepeta screamed. It was one part the pain of growth and part the last image of Gamzee strangling Equius flittering across her mind’s eye. A guttural rumble rolled upwards from her gut and out her throat. Her cries slid out into a protracted howl. Nepeta’s hand, now with natural claws of its own, pierced the steel interior wall. She pulled her new frame upwards, aided by cable-fibers of rolling, rippling muscle. Warily, Nepeta balanced herself on digitigrade legs. She stumbled, but steadied herself by poking holes through the wall with her claw. Her body compressed, primed like an explosive. She extended her claw gloves, the blades still slick with Gamzee’s blood. Her triangular nose twitched with the scent of blood. It was a sweet, rich scent that tunneled through her and burrowed down into the core of her mind. Her breath became ragged again, and she gripped the wall tighter, trying not to scream. Her whole body shook. 

Nepeta: :33 < i…have to find him.  
Her nostrils flared. Her muscles tensed.  
Nepeta: :33 < i have to…find him  
Nepeta launched forward down the hallway. Heavy steps crumpled the metal floors and put divots into stone. She thundered into the main computer room, smashing the door down in the process.

Karkat was standing just beside the door, thankfully out of the blast range.  
Karkat: OH NEPETA! HEY WHAT THE FUCK-

Nepeta cut him off by grabbing him by the shirtcollar and lifting him into the air with one hand. Karkat’s screaming did not deter her. She wound back her arm, Karkat dangling in her grip, and pitched him through the air. He landed in the pile of horns with a soft honk.

_Nepeta: :33 < stay there, karkitty_

With a rhythmic stomping, Nepeta padded over to the teleporter and blinked out of the room.


	2. Feud

A bet made.  
A coin tossed.  
Life and death juxtaposed, end over end, turning, turning, turning in the air.  
They had walked their path into a collision vector and fate would determine the break.  
The scratched side of the coin glinted in the starlight at the apex of its trajectory. Vriska turned away. Luck was on her side. It was already decided. Everything was already in place. Terezi rested her hand on her blade.

HONK

Vriska and Terezi both turned around as the previously hidden Gamzee sailed through the air in an arc and honked once more on impact with the ground.

Vriska: I told you he was still alive!  
Terezi: N3P3T4 1S TH4T YOU BUT 1 THOUGHT…4ND WHY  
Vriska: See that, Pyrope? 

Nepeta, who was still in the twisted pose of an uppercut, slowly relaxed to a more normal posture. Normal for this new form anyway.

Vriska: Hey what the fuck.  
Gamzee: HoNk  
Nepeta: :33 < you took away my closure with equius. i’m gonna claw it out of you then.  
Terezi: 1S SOM3TH1NG WRONG W1TH MY NOS3 OR 1S N3P3T4 4 G14NT MONST3R NOW >:?  
Vriska: Oh she’s definitely a giant monster now.  
Vriska: First Kanaya and now Nep. What’s the deal with green-8loods, huh?  
Terezi: K4N4Y4 WH4T-OH T3LL M3 L4T3R 1 N33D TO W4TCH TH1S  
Vriska: And how do you plan on doing that?  
Terezi slapped the back of Vriska’s head.  
Terezi: YOU KNOW WH4T 1 M34N FUCK4SS

Gamzee brandished his clubs. His eye were red. He didn’t flinch as Nepeta launched herself at him, stones kicking up. Nepeta opened with a furious swipe. Gamzee brushed away the attack to his side and countered with a devastating backhand of his club. A cracking sound rang out as the club connected with Nepeta’s skull. She was sent reeling back, hands clutching the wound on her head.

Vriska and Terezi winced at monstrous blow.

Nepeta lifted her gaze to match Gamzee’s. She grabbed her head with both hands and twisted it back into the right orientation with another audible crack. Vriska and Terezi winced again.

Gamzee: So ArE yOu StIlL dOwN tO cLoWn, MoThErFuCkEr?  
Nepeta roared and charged again.  
Gamzee responded by hurling one of his clubs at Nepeta. Nepeta jumped forwards and snatched the club between her teeth. She bit down, and the club exploded into splinters. Gamzee took a half step backwards as the woodchips rained down around him. He raised the club in his left hand, preparing another blow, but Nepeta dashed in faster and grabbed his wrist. Gamzee reached behind his back with his other hand, and retrieved a spare club from his fetch modus. As he swung the club back around, Nepeta caught that wrist too, though, and loosed a deafening roar before headbutting him.  
Vriska took a step forward, but Terezi held her cane across her and shook her head. This was not the time to intervene.  
Gamzee tottered backwards, dazed. Relentless, Nepeta closed the gap between them once more. Nepeta hooked her claw into Gamzee’s abdomen. Indigo blood arced out in a misty spray, gently coating Nepeta’s jacket. Gamzee responded with a downwards blow to Nepeta’s shoulder, eliciting another deafening crack, though this did not dislodge the claw in his gut. Gamzee grabbed the now limp arm, spun, and hurled Nepeta’s bulky mass over his shoulder. Nepeta rolled with the motion until she returned to her feet in a crouching position.  
Nepeta placed one hand around the dislocated shoulder, and after a moment, exhaled slowly and pressed until it slid back in its socket.  
Gamzee started backpedaling until something shifted. His expression cracked outwards into a rage-filled scowl. 

Gamzee: YoU bEsT bE kNoWiN yOuR mOtHeRfUcKiNg PlAcE bItCh  
Nepeta: :33 < let’s s33 if your blood is still so purrfect when it’s splattered on the ground   
Nepeta approached Gamzee with the same leisurely walking pace, bellying the fact that they both intended on tearing each other apart. When they entered arm’s distance, they each snapped forwards, hands locked together.  
Nepeta took the lead initially, bending Gamzee’s arms back, pushing him back. Her muscles pulsed with adrenaline. Soon, though, Gamzee pushed back. Nepeta, even at twice her original size, couldn’t overpower the raw strength of the indigo-blooded Gamzee. The balance shifted. Gamzee was now overshadowing Nepeta, leaning over her. She gazed into his blood-red eyes, wide, wild, and frantic. She could tell from the eyes alone that he would not only kill her, but he would enjoy every last moment before and after. It was a look she remembered distinctly, the last thing she saw the first time she stood up to him. Gamzee continued pressing until Nepeta was compressed into a ball against the ground. 

Gamzee: AlL yOu MoThErFuCkErS kNeEl EvEnTuAlLy. JuSt LiKe ThE hOrSe MoThErFuCkEr.  
As the last word escaped from his lips, the meteor suddenly lurched forwards. Everyone wobbled with the instantaneous burst of speed as yellow light enveloped the entire meteor.  
Nepeta took the disruption as an opening, and broke her grasp with Gamzee, but his hands were around her throat instantly. Nepeta lurched forwards, faster than Gamzee could anticipate, and clenched her teeth around his throat. Nepeta could feel her throat closing a second time, though she did not loosen her grip around Gamzee. Nepeta reached upwards. She knew she wouldn’t be able to dislodge Gamzee’s hands, so she grabbed his head instead. Her vision faded as the oxygen supply rapidly dropped. The muscles in her jaw still clamped around Gamzee’s neck ached and lit up with hypoxic agony. She thrust Gamzee’s head forward while simultaneously jerking her head back, tearing a mass of flesh from Gamzee in the process.  
Gamzee released his grip from Nepeta, and his hands flew to his bleeding throat. The two of them were drenched in indigo. Gamzee fell to the ground, and Nepeta dropped to one knee, breathless. 

Vriska: Wow, Nep, you really-

Nepeta crawled overtop of Gamzee who was still clutching futilely at his open throat. She reared back with both claw, both her new biological claws and her gauntlets, and drove them into Gamzee’s throat such that her palms were facing away from each other. Vriska’s eyesight was transfixed on Nepeta’s shoulder blades, which were visible as pointed lumps propping up a surprisingly well-fitting jacket. Nepeta wrenched her hands apart, severing Gamzee’s head, which popped into the air  
and rolled a distance, leaving a trail of indigo blood.

Vriska: You really fucked him up!

Nepeta collapsed into a heap beside Gamzee’s torso, drenching herself in his blood. Slowly, the transformation reversed. Nepeta deflated like a balloon, the muscle seemingly catabolized to heal her wounds. Her legs realigned subtly and painlessly. Vriska and Terezi approached her.

Terezi: M1SS L31JON  
Terezi pointed her sheathed cane-sword at Nepeta.  
Terezi: TH3 N4TUR3 OF TH1S 1NV3ST1G4T1ON H4S JUST SH1FT3D DR4M4T1C4LLY WH4T H4V3 YOU TO S4Y  
Nepeta: :33 < oh hey tz.  
Nepeta’s voice was low and hollow like the evening wind across the mouth of her cave home.  
Terezi: TH4T’S L3G1SL4C3R4TOR R3DGL4R3 TO YOU F3L1N3 F3LON  
Vriska: I thought you said you weren’t roleplaying?  
Terezi: QU13T CR1M1N4L SCUM  
Nepeta: :33 < oh is vwiskers in trouble again?  
Terezi stomped over until she was towering directly over Nepeta’s prone form. With a wicked grin, she bent down and grabbed Nepeta’s jacket collar. She hauled Nepeta upwards to a standing position.  
Terezi: YOU SHOULD B3 CONC3RN3D 4BOUT YOURS3LF CONS1D3R1NG YOU JUST K1LL3D G4MZ33 R1GHT 1N FRONT OF M3  
Nepeta could tell the veiled threat was just an excuse to help her stand up. She opened her mouth to answer, but closed it, and let her shoulders sag.  
Nepeta: :33 < he’s dead.  
Terezi: TH4T N4RROWS DOWN TH3 L1ST TO B4S1C4LLY H4LF OF US  
Nepeta: :33 < equius.  
Vriska: Oh wow. He was kind of a creep, 8ut he did 8uild me a ro8ot arm.  
Terezi shot her a death glare, 8ut Nepeta put her hand up in response.  
Nepeta: :33 < he had his share of problems, but-  
Terezi: W3 4LL H4V3 OUR PROBL3MS 1T DO3SN’T 3XON3R4T3-  
Nepeta: :33 < this isn’t a trial, redglare! there’s no justice fur anyone here. he wasn’t a good moirail, but i don’t n33d some kind of jury fur that. it’s just over now.  
Terezi’s face contorted.  
Terezi: BUT…H3 D1D SOM3TH1NG WRONG 4ND W4S PUN1SH3D 1SN’T TH4T HOW 1T’S SUPPOS3D TO WORK  
Nepeta gave her a weary grin before hiding a paltry laugh behind her paw glove.  
Nepeta: :33 < you’re starting to sound a lot like equius. he always had strong ideas of how everything should work.  
Vriska: Wow. See, you just need to relax, TZ.  
Nepeta: :33 < ultimately, his refusal to change killed him and almost killed me.  
Vriska leered at Nepeta sideways.  
Nepeta: :33 < i think the only reason i survived was because i was so furustrated with him, so angry. he told me what to do fur so long and it was all wrong. i’m still angry at him even though he’s gone now.  
Nepeta turned her gaze upward from the ground and towards Vriska and Terezi. Her eyes twinkled in the starlight surrounding them.  
Nepeta: :33 < does that make me a bad purrson?  
Vriska: Ha, please. You’ll never 8e as 8ad as me, 8ut dealing with Gamzee is a decent start.  
Terezi’s expression shifted inscrutably beneath her shades.  
Terezi: 1’M ST4RT1NG TH1NK TH3R3 R34LLY 4R3N’T B4D P3OPL3 JUST SH1TTY S1TU4T1ONS  
Kanaya: Oh I Beg To Differ

The three turned around to see Kanaya and Karkat approaching. Kanaya was adorned in purple blood much like Nepeta. Karkat took in the scene and froze in his tracks. His hands instinctively reached for his mouth. How long ago was he telling equius to take him out? He knew it had to be done, but it was clear to everyone it wasn’t pleasant to see.

Silence.

Nepeta wobbled over to Karkat. She opened up her arms. Karkat looked away, but he didn’t resist as Nepeta wrapped around him. His voice hitched and a sob escaped.

Karkat: THIS SUCKS SO MUCH I DON’T EVEN CARE THAT YOU’RE COATED IN MY MOIRAIL’S BLOOD.  
Karkat: FIRST SOLLUX AND THEN THAT DUMB ASSHOLE CLOWN.  
Karkat: I GUESS EVERYONE I CARE ABOUT IS GOING TO DIE AND THAT’S THAT  
Nepeta: :33 < i’m sorry karkitty.  
Nepeta: :33 < i wish this didn’t happen.  
Karkat: I KNOW.  
Karkat: ME EITHER.  
Karkat: BUT IT DID HAVE TO HAPPEN.  
Karkat: THAT ASSHOLE CLOWN WHOM I LOVED DEARLY WENT BERSERK AND HAD TO BE PUT DOWN.  
Karkat: SO THANKS I GUESS, IN A REALLY FUCKED UP WAY, NEPETA.

Terezi walked over to the embracing pair. 

Terezi: W41T SOLLUX 1S D34D  
Karkat: YEAH. BLEW A GASKET PUSHING OUR METEOR TO THE GREEN SUN. WE’RE GOING TO MAKE IT BECAUSE HE SACRIFICED HIMSELF  
Sollux: wow, can we get an f, fellow gamer2?  
Aradia: huh i thought they’d bring the body up here  
Sollux: ii’m fuckiing glad they diidn’t. that’d be morbiid.  
Karkat: WHAT THE FUCK  
Dave: sorry to break up this touching moment  
Nepeta: :33 < oh! rose!  
Rose: Hello, kitty.  
Terezi: OH 3V3RYON3 1S DR3SS3D SO D3L1C1OUSLY TH3 CH3RRY SU1TS YOU V3RY W3LL 4R4D14  
Aradia: do you think so?  
Kanaya: Definitely It Makes Your Eyes Look Stunning Aradia  
Aradia: oh goodness well thank you both i must say it’s a pleasure to see you all  
Aradia: now we can begin the corpse party!  
Kanaya: Splendid Idea Aradia  
Vriska: What the fuck is that?  
Aradia: oh it’s a human tradition where they hold a party in honor of the deceased death is a special occasion for them unlike us  
Dave: that’s almost correct  
Vriska: Oh right, I forgot how soft you guys were.  
Karkat: IF I’M GONNA BE HONEST RIGHT NOW – AND DON’T YOU EVER FUCKING BRING THIS UP AGAIN – I THINK THAT WOULD BE A PRETTY GOOD THING RIGHT NOW.  
Karkat: EVEN IF HE DESERVED IT, MY MOIRAIL IS STILL DEAD, AND EVEN IF HE IS STILL ALIVE, I DID WATCH MY BEST FRIEND DIE  
Sollux: choke on my bulge.  
Karkat: LOVE YOU TOO, DIRTBAG.  
Nepeta: :33 < a purrty sounds really nice right meow, but i don’t really know how to host one.  
Rose: Don’t worry Kitty, we can handle that.  
Sollux: 2ound2 liike huge drag.  
Dave: nah, dude it’ll be chill. like so chill, the ice in our drinks will be all like “hey who turned the fuckin ac on in the middle of winter.” it’ll be as chill as milkshake in antarctica  
Vriska: The fuck is an Antarctica  
Terezi: WOW SO YOU’R3 L1K3 TH4T 1N P3RSON TOO  
Sollux: yeah dave ii2 alway2 liike that.  
Rose: You get used to it.  
Dave: y’all are hating but you can’t touch my cool as fuck metaphors  
Kanaya: That Was A Simile But Go Off I Guess  
Sollux: 2o iif ii 2tay for thii2 party how long am ii goiing two have two put up wiith thii2 bull2hiit?  
Rose: Well space and time in the furthest ring elude traditional Euclidean relationships. A straight vector would have us wrapping around ourselves in both location and temporally. We might collide with the past in a rather literal interpretation of the phrase. According to my prognostications the circuitous route that will lead us to our destination will take three years or in troll terms, 1.5 sweeps. We can only hope for subluminal speeds without causing injury to our psychic pilots.  
Karkat: WAIT WHAT DO YOU MEAN “IF” YOU STAY?  
Sollux: miight hang out wiith aa iin the dreambubble2.  
Kanaya: Oh You Are Not Staying Aradia  
Aradia: i’ve been very much enjoying shepherding the dead through the afterlife  
Vriska: Hey I could always just put you to sleep with my mind powers if you want.  
Sollux: fiinally, a good u2e for that.

There was a heavy silence that Dave and Rose couldn’t parse. Rose got the impression of several onlookers gawking at a skateboarder who had just severely injured themself. Something involving the aforementioned mind powers she guessed.

Aradia: oh i suppose that is true i could perform my duties in the dream bubbles and still travel alongside all of you  
Sollux: anyway, ii thiink the liiviing are probably le22 annoyiing than the dead on average now, 2o ii’m down wiith 2tayiing on thii2 garbage rock a biit longer.  
Nepeta: :33 < does that include fef?  
Sollux: ab2olutely not. one down2iide there.  
Vriska: Offer stands for you too.  
Sollux: iif you ever u2e your p2ychiic bull2hiit on me agaiin, ii wiill vaporiize you.  
Vriska: Fair!  
Aradia: i guess we’ll stay then!  
Karkat: WELL THAT’S JUST FUCKING DANDY. GLAD YOU DECIDED BEFORE THE BODY HERE STARTED TO ROT.  
Terezi: DON’T G3T SO WORK3D UP K4RK4T WOULDN’T W4NT YOU TO POP 4 D3L1C1OUS BLOOD V3SS3L  
Karkat: WORKED UP? YOU THINK THIS IS WORKED UP? I’LL SHOW YOU FUCKING WORKED UP. TODAY-  
Before Karkat could continue with his tirade, a metallic clang interrupted as a metal bucket bounced off the side of his head. Everyone, except Karkat who was stunned, looked in the direction of the bucket to find John waving through a Jade-shapped rift.  
Karkat: FUCK  



	3. Covenant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> June time

June: what the hell happened?  
Davesprite: i already told you. jade said, “oh no,” howled like a lunatic, and warped away.  
June: but why? and where did she go?  
davesprite shrugged.  
Davesprite: i don’t know. and i don’t think we can catch a teleporting dog-witch so our options are fairly limited.  
June: okay that’s a fair point, but how are we going to land?  
Davesprite: oh fuck.  
Davesprite: use some wind bullshit, June.  
Davesprite rushed over to a door and pushes it open. instantly, June evaporated into a breeze and wrapped around to the front of the careening golden battleship. she rematerialized, her hands outstretched. a gale force typhoon rushed past her and slammed into the battleship. Davesprite attempted to stabilize himself by grabbing onto a couch, but it slid around the room in the turbulence as well. down the hallway, a throng of consorts roiled with the shocks of impact. the golden battleship’s front engulfed with flames as it entered the atmosphere of lomax. June’s eyes closed as she focuses on the air burning up around her. The surface of lomax approached swiftly, mountains growing from lumps into massive edifices of stone. The battleship slows down under the constant assault of wind, but it’s too heavy to stop completely. Davesprite climbed out to the top deck and flew past it towards June. He grabbed her and pulled away from the battleship just as it dug into the dirt trailed behind ship.

Davesprite and June alighted beside the ship.  
June: holy…shit…davesprite  
Davesprite: take it easy there champ. catch your breath. pun intended.  
June: at least we’re all safe now.  
And then the meteor slammed into the planet.

June fell over, too winded to keep her balance.  
Davesprite: huh. guess we are gonna die after all.  
The planet shook, and stones rolled down the side of the mountain nearby. pebbles on the ground vibrated and shook in resonance. soon enough the reverberations ceased and a silence took over. June and Davesprite looked at each other bewildered. Davesprite helped June up to her feet. they started walking towards the meteor, cautiously but curiously, until they saw the colorful hues of time and light player god robes. they started running at first, then flying, June zipping ahead at the speed of wind. they almost collided with the small crowd that had gathered outside the huge lab-meteor. the breeze followed June as she skidded to a stop, bending the blades of grass beneath them, flipping up dave’s hood, and causing everyone else’s fabric to billow.  
June: hey! it’s been so long!  
Rose: A pleasure to see you. Love the new outfit, it definitely suits you. And your hair looks great.  
Kanaya: Yes The Skirt Is Quite Flattering And A Lovely Blue Hue At That. Here I Thought Rose Was The Only Fashion-Minded Human  
Terezi: Y34H TH4T R4ZZB3RRY BLU3 SM3LLS D3L1C1OUS  
June: oh! um, thank you.  
June took in a sharp breath.  
June: it’s been three whole years since we started this journey, and a lot has changed. jade and i-uhh jade isn’t here right now for some reason so uhh  
Vriska: Nah, she’s here on the meteor.  
Vriska: As much as I’d love to steal the spotlight right now, I’m too interested in what you were saying.  
Davesprite: wow, i thought vriska loved the spotlight more than rose loves messing with people’s heads  
Rose: David Spritesworth, you have abandonment issues  
Davesprite: jesus fuck, okay  
June: right. well um. i  
Dave interrupted abruptly, wrapping his arms around her, cutting off her speech.  
Dave: fuck, i missed you  
June: it’s nice to see you too.  
June: call me June.  
Rose: It’s a pleasure to see you, June.  
June blushed slightly. As many times as she’s heard Jade use her name, it was still an experience to hear it out loud especially from Rose.  
June: i know it’s dumb but there’s a small part of me that was worried, like somehow you guys, i don’t know, wouldn’t get it or something.  
Vriska: Oh we get it just fine. Spent a lot of time on the meteor talking things over. We all have a lot in common, actually.  
June tilted her head questioningly.  
Dave responded with a peace sign.  
Rose: June, we care about you no matter what.  
Dave: for real  
Davesprite: told you they’d be chill.  
June: thanks, guys.  
Nepeta: :33 < oh i n33d to update my shipping charts!  
June: wow, uhh, i don’t-i’m not sure  
Nepeta: :33 < i’m just joking junipurr, i ditched those a while ago.  
June: oh.  
Rose: Indeed, your new theories on personality-driven need indices are much more refined and interesting. It’s great to see an interpretation that expands beyond traditional, limited quadrant-based heteronormativity.  
June nods along somewhat numbly.

June: so where’s jade?  
Davesprite: you said she’s asleep right.  
Vriska: She teleported in all 8arking mad and, like, evil looking? Not 8eing judgmental here, 8ut she seemed pretty evil to me.  
Aradia: no she most definitely seemed evil  
Terezi: TH3 SC3NT W4S UNM1ST4K4BL3  
Vriska: Right, so I used my mind powers to put her asleep.  
Rose: Evil looks good on her  
Nepeta: :33 < you are so purrdictable, rosey.  
Davesprite: so she’s okay?  
Sollux: a2iide from beiing eviil, yeah 2he’2 totally fiine  
June: why is she evil though?  
Aradia: it is most likely the psionic capabilities of the condesce operating on the first guardian barkbeast component of jade her power allows her to override jade’s will  
June: betty crocker up to her old tricks!  
Rose: Essentially, yes. She is, after all, older than any of us and quite crafty. I wouldn’t be surprised if she had been plotting for literal centuries.  
Davesprite: speaking of crockers, where are the new players?  
Dave shrugged.  
Dave: don’t know. thought they would be here  
Karkat: GOD EVERYTHING HAS GONE TO SHIT AND WE JUST GOT HERE. UTTERLY NECK DEEP IN BULLSHIT.  
Davesprite: some things never change i guess.  
Dave: wouldn’t say that  
Dave gave the slightest of nods to Davesprite and gestured at karkat. Davesprite’s eyebrows lurched upwards in response.  
Davesprite: no way  
Karkat: WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TWO TALKING ABOUT? GODDAMNIT TWO STRIDERS IS WAY MORE THAN I CAN HANDLE.  
Davesprite: you sure about that?  
Dave: wow that was a quick turnaround. gonna have to pass, though  
Rose: I told you Davesprite, but you didn’t listen before. Glad you’re up to speed so quickly.  
Davesprite: oh yeah, like you’re one to talk  
Davesprite gestures to nepeta, who was clinging to rose’s arm.  
Rose: I don’t know what you’re talking about.  
June: for the record, neither do i.  
Davesprite: she’s purring, rose.  
Dave: purring  
Vriska: Man, I h8 to admit it, 8ut Karkat is right. Two striders is way more than enough. June, come with me, I gotta get something for you.  
June: um, okay!  
Terezi winked as June sauntered behind vriska and offered a sharp grin.  
June responded with a tilted expression of confusion yet again.  
Vriska: Come on already!  
Vriska grabbed her hand and started bounding deeper into the meteor.  
Sollux: okay, for real though, any iidea2 on how we’re goiing two fiix jade or are we ju2t gonna keep her a2leep forever.  
Aradia: oh i wonder if she’s in the dream bubbles. perhaps i could find her out there  
Davesprite: can i see her?  
Kanaya: Of Course Right This Way  
Aradia let herself fall into the soft grass.  
Aradia: i think i’m going to enjoy this relative moment of freedom. maybe i’ll fall asleep and find jade  
Sollux: yeah fuck that meteor ii’m over iit. 2econd ii 2tep foot iin theiir ii’ll be ambu2hed by another feeliing2-jam  
Nepeta: :33 < *nepeta stalks her prey warily prepurred engage in emotional vulnerability*  
Sollux: *2ollux re2pond2 iin rp-format iin hope2 that iit wiill appea2e the hunter for the tiime beiing*  
Nepeta: :33 < *the hunter apurreciates this offuring and slinks back into the darkness*  
Terezi: *TH3 DR4GON R3DGL4R3 L4YS DOWN B3S1D3 H3R SUBJ3CTS TO B4SK 1N TH3 W4RM SUNL1GHT*  
Terezi: 1T SM3LLS D3L1C1OUS OUT H3R3 GR33NS 4ND BLU3S 4ND 4CTU4L NON-D34DLY SUNL1GHT 1’LL C4TCH UP W1TH YOU CHUMPS L4T3R  
Terezi: D4V3SPR1T3 ROS3 D4V3 N3P3T4 K4RK4T 4ND K4N4Y4 M4K3 TH31R W4Y 1NTO TH3 TW1ST1NG H4LLS OF TH3 M3T3OR L4B

Vriska: So! June! That’s a good name. How’d you come across it?  
June: actually? you kinda had a part in it.  
Vriska: Oh wow, I’m honored!  
Vriska’s voice reverberated off of the hard stone interior, echoing down into the dimly lit hallways. The stone corridor was populated with various alchemized lamps and other lightsources to add additional light, but they were turned off in preparation for landing it seemed. Their steps clacked similarly outward, cutting the silent moments somewhat.  
Vriska: While I know I’m an endless source of inspiration, when did this happen?  
June: geez, it feels like forever ago. we were talking and you said my name in a really drawn out way, and it sounded like June. it felt really good, and i didn’t figure out why until much later on the golden ship.  
Vriska: You felt seen then.  
June: yeah that’s a good way to put it.  
June: that was right around the time you had me alchemize some new clothes modeled after yours.  
June: it was really awkward at first, but again there was that part of me that really liked it, and felt seen.  
Vriska: Funny you should mention that.  
Vriska opened the door to her room. It was still a mess mostly. A pile of dice sat in the corner opposite the corner containing the clothes pile. Her bed was unmade, and suggested that it had never been made at any point. There were several unbroken 8-balls scattered avout her desk alongside various drawings and some sparse makeup items. Sitting beside the desk was a dummy adorned in a white dress with a scorpio logo on the front. Vriska walked over to the dress and removed it from the dummy.  
Vriska: My style has evolved since Kanaya gave this to me, and it’s associ8ed with some unpleasant memories. I think it would 8e 8etter off with you.  
June: wow, i…it’s fantastic.  
June took the dress into her hands and felt the fabric. it was soft and silky and light as a feather. she felt slightly anxious, as if she could break it by holding it to firmly. she ran a hand over the bright white fabric and the cobalt logo emblazoned on the front.  
June: it has your symbol on it. isn’t that your thing?  
Vriska shrugged.  
Vriska: It’s a family sym8ol, which, yeah are kind of a 8ig deal in troll culture, 8ut fuck troll culture it’s pretty much dead at this point.  
Vriska: You know, I got my real name from my ancestor’s journal, and you got your name from something I said so it kinda fits, you know?  
June: your real name…so before when you said…  
Vriska adopted a smug smile.  
Vriska: I don’t mind that you have my family’s sym8ol. Sisters have to stick together.  
June leaped into Vriska, encircling her into a tight hug.  
June: thank you so much!  
Vriska: Consider it pay8ack for helping me realize how dum8 I was 8eing all that time ago.  
June: you don’t have to pay me back for anything. you’re my friend.  
Vriska: Wellllllll I guess you’re right. Old ha8its, old mindsets.  
She returned June’s hug.

Dave: oh that’s absolutely fucking adorable  
Jade was asleep on a pile of throw pillows. her arms and legs were moving in circles as if she were running  
Kanaya: Truly As Much As I Love Watching Her Dream Of Chasing Things I Would Very Much Like To Meet The Real Jade In Person  
Nepeta: :33 < what about when you went all grimdark, rose? is any of that relevant?  
Rose: I had a connection with the dark forces in the outer ring as a Derse dreamer. Jade is a resident of Prospit. Also, I only exited that state after dying. Jade’s dreamself is no longer an option, and I fear any death may be regarded as Just in this state.  
Nepeta: :33 < that’s not fair though! she can’t control herself.  
Karkat: YEAH THAT’S TOP TIER BULLSHIT. JADE IS PROBABLY THE LEAST SHITTY HUMAN I’VE EVER DEALT WITH. NO OFFENSE TO YOU ASSWIPES.  
Nepeta: :33 < you’re just saying that because she got you to stop arguing with your future self.  
Rose: While you are both correct, I believe whatever eldritch system that determines the justice of a death does not work off of conventional human morality. It’s more conceptual. Narrative if you’re feeling poetic.  
Davesprite: whack.  
Rose: Whack indeed.  
Jade rolled over on her other side snored.  
Dave: as much as i don’t want to wake her up, i was hoping to hang with my homegirl again  
Kanaya: It’ll Be Hard To “Hang” With Your Hivegirl If She’S Trying To Eat Your Face  
Rose: If it’s anything like the grimdarkness I experienced, she’s going through a tough time right now. It’s probably the best if we stay beside her for the time being.  
Karkat: YOU GUYS ARE NEEDED TO FIGHT THE CONDESCE AND FIND THE NEW PLAYERS RIGHT? LET’S BE REAL FOR A GODDAMN MOMENT HERE: I'M WORTH ABSOLUTELY FUCKALL ON THE BATTLEFIELD. I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THE FUCK POSSESSED ME THAT I WANTED TO BE A THRESHECUTIONER WHEN I WAS YOUNGER. IF ANYONE SHOULD STAY WITH HER, I CAN.  
Dave: nah, i’m not leaving her either. i still feel a little shitty for, like, dying on her that one time  
Nepeta: :33 < i don’t think anyone here plans on leaving right away. we gotta make sure she’s okay.  
Davesprite: yeah i’d do pretty much anything for her at this point.

Terezi: TH4T ON3 LOOKS L1K3 4 DR4GON  
Sollux: nah, iit defiiniitely look2 liike a bulge  
Terezi: YOU S4Y 3V3RY CLOUD LOOKS L1K3 4 BULG3  
Sollux: you 2ay every cloud look2 liike a dragon  
Terezi: 1’M BL1ND WH4T’S YOUR 3XCUS3  
Sollux: fuck, alriight got me there.  
Sollux: what do you thiink, aa?  
Aradia: …  
Terezi: 4R4D14  
Aradia: zzzzz

Aradia: a winding green spiral clashed with the surrounding darkness aradia’s glittering red fairy trail intermingled with the wispy green trail aradia’s wings fluttered carrying her along the pathway drawing closer and closer to the center of the spiral as she approached a pair of silhouettes figures emerged from the darkness the image cleared in the darkness they were sitting down more detail as the distance closed bright orange horns indicating trolls perhaps they were lost souls or someone aradia recognized she was in shouting distance and swiftly drawing nearer the one on the left aradia did not recognize but the one on the right…  
Aradia: jade? is that you?  
Jade: oh uh aradia?  
Aradia: why uhh are you a troll?  
Jade: well haha that is…a good question.  
???: ah i sUppose that is my faUlt.  
Jade: don’t worry calliope.  
Calliope: i sUggested jade make a “troll-sona” as i have. i am not particUlarly fond of my appearance, and i have read so mUch aboUt the heroes from alternia in legends.  
Calliope: aradia’s expression softened.  
Aradia: pleasure to meet you calliope. i just have a hard time seeing anyone from alternia as a hero  
Calliope: yoU oUtwitted the devilbeast with yoUr time powers did yoU not? the red robes and symbol definitely demarcate yoU as a time player, and i don’t think yoU woUld be able to find this secret place withoUt extensive time or space capabilities and thoroUgh knowledge of the dream bUbbles.  
Aradia: ha i suppose i got the better of jack the time powers are just sgrub though…all of alternia was really just a training ground for sgrub designed to inflict pain weed out the weak i dealt with it by going numb i stopped caring if you tried to care about all the trolls suffering dying at every moment you’d lose it so i stopped i think it was only recently once the knowledge that alternia was gone forever set in that i started feeling better and it was also meeting humans! you all care about death and when people are lost unlike alternia it’s so…alien and sweet after meeting your friends jade it felt okay to care about things again that’s why i find it odd you’d make these “troll-sonas” is all  
Jade frowned and her eyebrows and ears dropped.  
Jade: i’m sorry aradia, i didn’t mean to be culturally insensitive. i though it would be a fun thing.  
Aradia: oh i know it’s just...well okay what is your trollsona’s blood color?  
Jade: well, jade because that’s my name.  
Aradia: fitting! very clever. so on alternia you’d be eternally trapped in the brooding caverns never to see the surface and locked into this one profession your whole life  
Jade’s frown persisted  
Jade: i think i understand how you feel much better now.  
Aradia’s expression shifted again, maintaining that softness, but with a touch of levity.  
Jade: when we alchemize the next frog, i’ll make sure that never happens again.  
Aradia: that is nice to hear from you jade  
Calliope: yoU can definitely coUnt on jade to make a better world for trollkind.  
Aradia’s smile returned in full force.  
Aradia: as glad as i am to see alternia gone i think we should hold on to the memories. we should commemorate the new world by remembering what was overcome and mourn the lost  
Jade: oh kind of like día de los muertos.  
Aradia tilted her head.  
Aradia: is that a human tradition?  
Jade: yeah! it’s a time when you celebrate loved ones who have passed on, but it’s not about being sad, because it’s about celebrating their life and reuniting the deceased with the living. it’s widely known for the bright sugar skulls people leave as offering.  
Aradia: wow that sounds really beautiful. see human culture is so fascinating and wonderful  
Calliope: A sUggestion, perhaps?  
Calliope: yoU coUld make a hUman-persona.  
Jade: oh yeah! great idea callie!  
Aradia: hmmm

Jade sat behind Aradia braiding her hair. Aradia’s face was painted with a skull design. Callie sat beside the two of them, having doffed her trollsona costume for the time being.  
Jade: and i love Davesprite and June, but sometimes they’re just so dense!  
Aradia: if davesprite is anything like dave i understand completely  
Jade: and it’s like my whole life revolves around other people! don’t get me wrong, i love all my friends, but sometimes i just want to yell you know!  
Calliope: i Understand. being lonely is very hard sometimes. it is part of oUr bUrden as space players.  
Jade: yeah it is hard…  
Jade: it just feels like i’m either asleep or alone, or i’m just doing what i’m “supposed to do”  
Aradia: ah yes that is something i think time players can relate to the burden of duty can be enormous when it comes to fulfilling the requisite timeloops though those are often self-imposed  
Jade: you know it just makes me so angry sometimes, but i feel like if i every show that, people won’t think of me the same way.  
Jade: aradia frowned.  
Calliope: perhaps it is not best to bottle that Up so mUch?  
Jade: but i don’t want to be alone. after the condesce got a hold of me, it became impossible to hold all of that back and…i probably would have hurt so many more people if vriska hadn’t put me to sleep. i’ve already helped put june’s ecto grandma under the condesce’s control, and i haven’t even met her for real. what if it’s already ruined?  
Jade’s hands trembled as she attempted to continue working with Aradia’s hair. Aradia turned around to face Jade.  
Aradia: last time i checked everyone went to be by your side. i bet that’s where they all are right now: watching over you  
Aradia: jade’s expression dropped into a sort of bittersweet smile her eyelids and brows dropping low gaze affixed to the spectral floor beneath  
Jade: i hope you’re right.  
They embraced each other in a hug, each closing their eyes.  
The peace was interrupted when Aradia abruptly vanished.

**Author's Note:**

> big shoutout to witchoftime for her wonderful Aradia headcanons that inspired the exchange between her and Jade and callie.
> 
> also big shoutout to kapbird's a pile of ghosts for more incredible Aradia content.


End file.
